CHAPTER XIV
READY FOR TROUBLE
"Jack, you're right," remarked George, after the whole of them had stoodthere, listening eagerly for a minute or so. "That sounds louder all thetime."
"P'raps the wind's shifted?" suggested Josh.
"No, I don't believe it has, even a little bit," Herb observed, on hispart.
"Then what d'ye think it means?" asked Bumpus, who was just as muchinterested as any one of his boat-mates.
"Why, he changed his course, that's what," declared Josh.
"Oh! that's it, eh?" Bumpus went on to say, "and as he was runningup-stream before, why, that means he's coming down now."
"Seems like it, Bumpus," admitted George.
"Why?" the fat boy kept asking; for when anything puzzled him he nevergave his comrades any peace until they had explained the particulars;for Bumpus could be a standing interrogation point when he chose.
"Now you've got me," admitted Josh, "'cause I don't know."
"He ain't doing that just for fun, you believe, don't you? He's got acard up his sleeve, as they say; and means to play it on us. Started upthe river in the beginning just to use a little time, and pull the woolover our eyes, fellers. Now he comes a-spinnin' down again in a littledifferent direction. Why? Again I wait to hear some wise head say it,"and Bumpus assumed an expectant attitude as he went on in this manner.
"Jack, c'n you answer him?" Herb questioned; for, as usual they began toturn toward the Commodore at such a time, just as though he might be anunabridged dictionary, and able on any and all occasions to supply thecrowd with information.
"Well, if, as we seem to believe, this bold scamp is one of those bankrobbers, there's only one way open for him to escape from any pursuers,and that's down the Mississippi," Jack started to say; when Georgeuttered a sudden mild whoop.
"I've got it!" he cried, excitedly.
"Bully for you, then, George," said Buster, eagerly, "and suppose youtell us before you burst. The cooper that put hoops around your barreldidn't fasten 'em any too tight, believe me. Now, all at once, and haveit over with--why should that feller turn around, and start back thisway again, after getting safe off?"
"Why, because he suddenly remembered that he had a chum somewhere onthis same old island," George announced, triumphantly; "how's that,Jack?"
Jack patted him on the back approvingly.
"Looks like you'd guessed it the first crack, George," he declared."Yes, whether he forgot that fact for a few minutes, or has been playinga little game to make us believe he was aiming to go up-river, there'sno doubt but what he's heading back now so's to pick the other one up.These sort of fellows stand by each other through thick and thin, youknow; that's their best quality, always."
"And Jack," piped up Buster just then, "don't you think that there mightbe something else adrawin' him back here--f'r instance, that stuff theytook away from the busted Lawrence bank?"
"Hurray for Buster; he's all right; and this time he's struck abrilliant idea! Great head, old man, better be careful of your brainsafter this. You're waking up at last; ain't he, Jack?" but Buster didnot deign to pay any attention to all this talk on the part of Josh,because he knew the other must be secretly envious of him.
"That's really a bright thought, Buster," admitted Jack, immediately."This fellow might be ready to stick by his crony; but we know he'sbound not to desert the plunder; and that must still be on the islandhere, aboard their boat, wherever they've got her hidden. You know,boys, we kind of thought they'd hide here, and try to paint the boatsome dark color, so it wouldn't give them away; for every sheriff andmarshal down-river way will be on the watch for a white boat with a redstreak along the gunnel."
"Mercy me! and think of the warm times I'll be apt to have after this,on the way to St. Louis," remarked Algernon, throwing up his white handsin dismay.
"That is, if ever you're lucky enough to get your boat back again,"reminded Josh, who rather like to "nag" such a dandified fellow asAlgernon and see him squirm.
"All of you noticed the fellow was wearing that sweater with the bluemoon on its front," Jack continued to say, as he explained matters morefully, "and we know that belongs to Buster here; also that it was inthat boathouse of the builder where we left our three boats last night,when we locked up; because I handled it myself. Don't you see what thatmeans, boys?"
"That man was in there; is that it, Jack?" George asked.
"He certainly must have been, else how could he get my sweater?"demanded Buster, swelling with importance, since his name was bound tobe mentioned in connection with this affair every time the story wastold, and all on account of that new and remarkable garment which he hadlost.
"But if they had looted the bank up at Lawrence, tell me why they'd befoolish enough to land in our town, and start in breaking open storesand boat building establishments? Seems funny business for a pair ofsmart yeggs?" Josh asked.
"Wait," said Jack, "go back a little. Suppose now, while they werecoming down the river, that idea about the paint just bobbed up in theirheads, and it seemed such a clever scheme that they wanted to kickthemselves because they hadn't just thought of it before, and had someof the right kind of stuff on hand. So when they came to our town, thisfellow, who must be a pretty bold sort of chap, we know, made up thisplan to sneak ashore, break into some paint shop, and get away with asupply."
"Now I'm on to what you mean, Jack," George hastened to remark, "andwhen he struck the boat-yard of Mr. Kedge, he just up and thought he'dsure find paint in there, because it's used on boats. And as Buster hadleft his new sweater lying around loose, like he always does with histhings, why, Mr. Burglar, feeling the night air on the river a bit cold,just swiped the same. That's as plain as the nose on Josh's face here."
"Just you let my nose alone," muttered Josh, like a flash, "it may be alittle bigger'n yours, but it knows how to keep out of other people'sbusiness."
"Then you think, do you, Jack," George went on, "that something mighthave happened to their boat, and crippled the same, so that they put inhere some time yesterday morning, if you can call it that, though thisis still the same day?"
"Yes, it looks as if they needed a new boat to continue their voyagedown the river; and seeing this fine chance, while Algernon and Jenkswere fast asleep, this man started to sneak it away. He might have doneit, and never a thing would they have known until morning, only for thesneeze that Buster here gave."
"See that," cried the fat boy, triumphantly, "you all have poked heapsof fun at me because I sneeze so much; but here's a time that it paidright handsomely."
"Sure, Buster," said George, quickly, "when it comes to waking peopleup, the flock of geese that once saved Rome from a night attack didn'thave anything on you, with your fine sneeze. I give you my word, you'darouse a whole city, once you let loose."
"Bah! just jealous, that's all; but don't you dare to imitate me,because I give you warning right now I'm going to get that sneezecopyrighted, that's what," Buster went on to declare emphatically.
"Seems to me," remarked Herb, "there's a heap of engines getting intotrouble about now; George has his spell; then Jenks had to work on theone in their boat; and now we suspect that these runaway robbers had abreakdown of their own."
"That shows you that I ain't the only one that gets into a mess withmotor trouble," George hastened to tell them.
"But arrah, now, phat arre we goin' to do about this same broth of a byecomin' back till the island for frind?" Andy wanted to know just then.
"Sensible of you to ask that, Andy," remarked Jack, "because it mightbe possible for us to surprise the pair, if only we could guess aboutwhere he meant to land along the shore."
"Whee! is that what's on the bill, Jack?" exclaimed Buster, "then howglad I am that you've got that splendid little Marlin gun of yourshandy. If there's going to be a scrap, every one of us ought to pick upsome sort of club, so's to make a respectable showing. And right here Isee one I'm going to cabbage on the spot."
"Which spot?
" queried Josh; but no one paid the slightest attention tojokes at such a critical moment.
"Listen again, boys," ordered Jack, "and see if you can tell whetherhe's coming down this side of the island, or the other one; because thatwould mean a whole lot for us."
For a minute no one uttered a sound. The quick pulsations of the exhaustbelonging to the stolen motor boat could be plainly heard, for the nightwas as still as death, all but that murmur of the breeze among thetreetops on the island, and perhaps the gentle lapping of the river onthe rocks along the shore.
"I think he's started down the other side, Jack," said George.
"Same here," echoed Josh.
"I don't seem to be able to guess," complained Buster, "one time I thinkit is the other side of the island and then again seems to me he'sheading right back the way he went."
"Other side of me," Herb went on to say, wishing to be counted.
"Sure, that's me ijee to a dot, so 'tis," declared the Irish lad,vehemently.
"Other side have it, five to one," Jack went on, somehow forgetting thatthere were others present, though for that matter Algernon was sobewildered by all the strange things that were happening, he did notseem able to gather his wits together, and Jenks was apparently quitesatisfied to leave the whole matter of the attempted recovery of themotor boat to the charge of these six wide-awake young chaps who hadshown themselves to be so clever; though if it ever came to a crisis,doubtless the sturdy machinist would be only too willing to throwhimself into the fight, and do his full duty.
"There, it's stopped now, boys!" cried George suddenly.
"You're right," declared Jack, "and as near as I can place it, seems asif the last sound came from across the island, too, perhaps a littlefurther up. Come on, everybody, and let's see if we can push rightthrough the place. The trees are scattered, and the moon shows brightenough to give us some light."
"We're off!" exclaimed Josh, exultantly, for he liked to be in action.
"Who's afraid?" demanded Buster, waving the big billet of wood he hadpicked up, as though anxious to do some service with the same.
"Keep still, everybody, and look where you're going," warned Jack,leading off.